A scarecrow painted to have dark skin was hanging by a rope from a tree in front of a home in Kensington.

Some neighbors say the homeowner gets in the spirit of Halloween every year and believe he meant no harm by the display.

But one councilman argued it was reminiscent of a lynching.

“It’s unacceptable,” said Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn). “You ain’t speaking for this whole community because some people on this block came by and said it was offensive. They came and said it was offensive. It’s not a cool decoration.”

Police settled the dispute by removing the scarecrow figure from the tree.

So let me get this straight….evry time some hyper sensitive black person gets offened by something or what some one sys we are racist….have we gone mad….many in the black community need a psychiatrist for their inferiority complex

I may bees inferior, massa Inkoreck, but “dey’ don;t be to have two “t”s in it. Yous white people sho nuff do bes funny..shuffle-shuffle.

IF Sara Palin doll can be hung in Liberal West Hollywood, you can hang Barack Obama in New York. Fact is, Barack has made life miserable for REAL black and white people, so it’s hard for me to to get riled up over a stuffed toy in a tree. This, my fellows, is choking on a gnat and swallowing camels whole.

Dont say that!!! Obama & Co. will like the idea and a whole new government welfare handout program will be started. “affirmative pyschiatric action” and the taxpayer will have to pay biullions!!! there’s alot of kooky “poop” people out there!”

Regardless, White people will need to band together in the future if they wish to survive. The problem with talk like that is people automatically refer to the Klan or Nazi Germany when in fact all White Nationalists want is a nation of their own free from the threat of extinction and the ability to preserve what cultures we have left.

Another example of how whites are being relegated to 2nd class citizens and blacks are dictating what we can say and do…..and the government is enforcing it for them …you people better wake up or forever be subservient

We can start by teaching our children to love themselves and their race. White kids are taught to hate themselves as soon as they enter school. Whitey better wake the hell up. No matter WHAT your arguments are for against racialism, I have one question, how do you think we will be treated when we are the minority? Don’t think that’s going to happen? Look up the stats! I have a 2 year old daughter who will be taught to resist all of this CRAP!

Which brings up another point. Suppose we were to get in another war with Mexico and they have 20 million citizens entrenched in our country, what would we do then? The Democrats that wanted to buy votes didn’t think that far ahead. It’s not that far-fetched with the cartels and government corruption down there.

I love your comment also – remember folks, nothing in life is free – you might not be out in that field picking cotton – but you are still a slave to the democratic party – how does it feel to say “masta?”

I’LL KEEP MY FREEDOM, THEY CAN KEEP THE FREE-STUFF.
oh wait a second, the land that is AMERICA was stolen by the government from the people, so i’m going to steal a piece of it back for my family, and they can go pound salt if they think they gonna get any money for it! THIS IS MY LAND, not theirs!

Agreed– and the 4th Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure. What Black people don’t seem to understand is that they like it when the State engages in this sort of behavior to further an agenda they support, but such umititgated state power could very easily spin out of control and who do you think it would impact the most? The black community. They they riot and burn down their own nieghborhoods. Such a shame.

Even IF the decoration was intended to be a racist display, I can’t see how it can be illegal given the First Amendment. It may be reprehensible, vile, hateful and stupid; but it’s STILL protected speech. You can do what you want in schools to “make sure we don’t offend anyone”, but on private property you can express your disgust and you can complain to the homeowner, but not even the police can just tear it down.

The police can not just take property, i think this homeowner has a good chance of making some money here. Unless they agreed to let them take it. I think it is time for people to really step back and quit being so sensitive. Shadows are black, does that mean every time I step on someones shadow I am a racist? My shadow looks like a black woman, I must be oppressing the black race if I step on my own shadow. I knew it was me keeping them down.

They can if this thing was hanging on a public tree, a parkway tree between the sidewalk and street is usually property owned by the city. You are responsible to mow it but the tree is the city’s and anything on it. If a stuffed dummy is causing a disturbance it can be taken down and disposed of….

I agree this is an oversensitivity… Evil demons don’t kill black people at Halloween? its suppose to be scary… what other evidence was in the display to make it appear racist? I guarantee you the people who live there are racist now….

the police had NO RIGHT to tear down the display. it was NOT in violation of any city or state law. until we start standing up to this crap, we WILL allow our rights to be trampled. if we start fighting back, we can re-take our rights. he absolutely MUST sue! we need to start sending a message back to the government that we are not going to just lie down. if enough of us start to fight back, we can start to have a louder voice that the one we now have.

Let me guess… had the decoration depicted a WASP (for you folks that no habla, a White Anglo Saxon Protestant) there would have been no complaint, and the police would not have had to enforce what is merely a matter of taste. The police should have stayed out of it.

Susie: What grade did you complete, or is your language not English. The article says specifically that it was in front of his HOME. That is NOT city property. He has every right to put up this decoration. The people who are offended, SORRY, BUT I AM OFFENDED BY YOUR HAVING SUCH A THIN SKIN THAT YOU CAN’T ENJOY A DECORATION ON A DAY THAT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE DECORATIONS SHOWING HORROR.

I didn’t read that part either BECAUSE IT ISN’T THERE. The article said nothing about it being on public OR private property. I grew up in Brooklyn and from the picture I would venture to guess that it was hanging on a tree that is on public property (the street right of way), near the curb in front of the house. In the neighborhood I grew up in, the sidewalk and curb were part of the Public right of way and the trees planted at curbside were on public property.

When are people going to say enough is enough! Black people get away with saying and doing racist things, like beating up only whites at a fair and so on.But if you’re whie you’re done. The police once again bent over for the blacks and took the easy way out I think black people forget that alot of whites died for thier freedom[civil war] but thta never is mentioned of course.

Round here if a branch hangs OVER your property that part of it is your property. Way to be so sure about your assumption. Hey everybody any time we have a question on Brooklyn we can ask Gerald cuz ya know he used to live there and all.

Get used to this kind of thing. As the country becomes more immigrant and less American, our American freedoms are going to disappear along with our people. This is what the elites have in mind for us, and we go along with it. This is only the beginning….

Matt, If you feel so strongly about the unjust treatment the Indians received then why don’t you go find an Indian family and let them move into your home. You can sign over the deed to them while you pay their mortgage. That way you would be doing something instead of whining.

My neighbor on the next block has the same decoration. I’m going right now to ask him where he got it so I can get one too. If it offends SLAP A WHITEMAN IN THE FACE Charles Barron I’m all for it. HAPPY HOLLOWEEN.

The police removed the figure. Who the hell do they think they are?!? Because some council member has an issue he can direct his own private police force to go onto private land and remove private property! Horrid abuse of political and police power.

Again, our rights to free speech are being yaken away and….. we do nothing. It’s OK to burn an American flag even if it offends some but a black skinned scarecrow? Nope. not “allowed”. Please vote for canidayes that believe in our constitution and not the anti American Democrats.

Another thing, how do we find a policeman willing to impeded freedom of speech? Do ANY of them have any balz and tell their superior, ” I am here to uphold the law not apply it where you feel like it!”.

Tired of the Government, Local, State and Federal, what we can and cannot do with our personal space. We can’t say prayers in public, we can sing the National Anthem at sporting events, we cannot decorate our homes as we like for holidays or whatnot. Enough is enough. If you don’t like the decorations then don’t go and look.

Then he should have put it on his OWN property, not on city property. If he put it on his house, then who cares? But to put it on public property is a disgrace. I can’t go into a public park and hang up streamers for a birthday party for the same reason!

“Then he should have put it on his OWN property, not on city property.”

Fact not in evidence. From the article it does not appear the scarecrow was on city property: “A Halloween display at a home….” “… hanging by a rope from a tree in front of a home ….” “… the homeowner gets in the spirit of Halloween every year ….”

If the scarecrow was on private property, the police were out of line.

We understand that it’s easier to post over and over that the article says nothing about it being public or private property, than it is to Google it and learn the truth. We all were new here once, and you have no reason to be sorry about that!

In Brooklyn, NY, trees next to the street at curbside IN FRONT OF a private house are on PUBLIC property. I grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn and it was true in that neighborhood and in Midwood, Canarsie, Bath Beach, Coney Island, Flatlands Marine Park, Sheepshead Bay, Bay Ridge, Park Slope, etc. In fact, it’s probably true for almost any neighbor of private homes in any of the 5 boroughs of NYC.

Too scary for who? You are a shining example of the wussification of America. Scary! Oh lets SAVE the poor frightened idiots of America from Scary. Grow a pair and get on wiht it. It was a STUFFED SCARECROW for crying out loud. And the last I checked, persons of African descent do not have the market cornered on lynchings. AND the last I checked, there have not been any lynchings in this country in a LONG time.

Too scary for the 4 year olds who have to go to the school and walk past it everyday! “the wussification of america”? Oh please. Sorry, I think as a ta-paying mother, I have a right to complain about something that is on CITY PROPERTY that scares my children!

Well, I suspect you will not be taking your kids out for trick-or-treating then, right? God forbid they see something scary for HALLOWEEN which is why this was there in the first place. I excpect them to be dressed as flowers and ballerinas so they aren’t scared of themselves. Make sure to keep them locked up on october 31st, they might get scared!

People are too sensitive these days.
When I went to a store that sold an abundance of Halloween displays and props and I saw a figure with a noose around it’s neck I did not think any other way than that it was an ghoul. I did not think of lynchings of human beings.

Halloween has taken on a non-festive tone with this display. Showing this human form hanging when children are expected to walk up to the door for candy is worrying. I’d want to know what kind of a person chooses to display such a heinous death scene on a day that is traditionally for the fun and enjoyment of children. And also, who could be so ignorant as to not know the historical ramifications of doing so. Or, maybe they just don’t care and are using the holiday as an excuse to express their true sentiment.

Because of history hanging any person for decoration regardless of color is a stupid thing to do. It could dredge up feelings for anyone. Common sense should prevail in that situation. However, freedom of speech protects the sensless. It is his/her property, they pay property taxes, they should be able to do what they want. If they wanted to burn a cross. sadly its protected. I don’t agree with how leanient the speech right is, but I will fight for it regardless how stupid the people act.

I guess if it was a white guy hanging it would be okay! I’m so tired of this PC bs that is taking over our country. It’s offensive to you? Don’t look at it. If it’s on someone’s property, it’s their right. It’s your right to say something, it’s not your right to tell someone what to put on their property. I think some people need to get a life and take care of their own crap.

@Chris.. You are 100% right. I am so tired of all the BS , I don’t know where this country is heading but I am really scared. We can not do, say or think differently from the next person without being called names, persecuted or judged.

I don’t know what picture some people are looking at, but that figure is not painted black. If anything, it looks to have an olive complexion or a caramel complexion. Anyway, lynching is not something that was done exclusively to blacks in this country and I find it sad that a councilman is either too ignorant to care or too stupid to know. Anyone who knows US history should know that Italian immigrants were frequently lynched and the numbers equaled those of blacks who were hung. Let’s also not forget about the innocent women and men in New England who were hung for being “witches.”

Well considering the decoration was painted with dark skin I could see why some people would be upset about this. Reminds one of the KKK way back in the 1950’s hanging innocent black people for nothing more then the color of their skin.

Maybe it’s just me but I don’t find a decoration showing a person being hanged to be any good, Halloween or otherwise. It’s not scary or funny, just disgusting. I usually get Halloween decorations: pumpkins, a “graveyard” in your front lawn, skeletons, etc. This is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this and it’s not indiative Halloween to me, just murder

Leave the guy’s decoration alone. Bad choice to paint it black, though. Another point, what the hell is Charles Barron, one of the biggest racists in this city, saying ANYTHING about racism. Look in the mirror, you Black Panther, you!

“It’s unacceptable,” said Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn). “You ain’t speaking for this whole community because some people on this block came by and said it was offensive. They came and said it was offensive. It’s not a cool decoration.”

That guy is a councilmen, no wonder why he is making a big deal. Seriously he said “you ain’t speaking for the whole community” it must be slim pickings for councilmen in Brooklyn.

Because the lynching of white people was so prevalent in this country’s history right? Listen, the guy didn’t properly think through his decision to “hang” a scarecrow from a tree in his yard. If he thought about it and if he was sensitive to the way it would be perceived by people walking in front of his house he might not have put it there.

The thing was offensive and someone needed to tell him to remove it. Why not put a vampire or werewolf or some other scary thing in his yard? Think first…then act that was this guy’s problem. He didn’t think.

hmmmmm yea I guess the next person to vote to run this country will be one who should be voted in AN NATIVE AMERICAN ,,,,RIGHT ALL YOU BLACK DIC SUCKING DROOLING BLACK THIS BLACK THAT AND THE WHOLE BLACK COMMUNITY WILL BE OUT LIKE THEY DID FOR obowmao right azzhole….

A horrible choice of Halloween UNHUMOR this man should
be forced to view a book of USA lynching photos that was made to show
the horror of innocent people being murdered even in my lifetime as
I am old, on the other hand the police should not have moved this effigy
the owner should have at the suggestion of the NYPD it is still this man’s
freedom of expression such as hip hop music calling for the shooting of our cops.

“It’s unacceptable,” said Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn). “You ain’t speaking for this whole community because some people on this block came by and said it was offensive. They came and said it was offensive. It’s not a cool decoration.”

Wow I’m guessing another liberal white guy who wants nothing more than to show everyone else how enlightened he is by making something out of nothing. I’m glad they removed it if it’s upsetting people but I doubt it was meant to be racist.

how the hell does any authority in Ny state come onto private property and remove personal property all because some one does not like it? Total violation of civil rights, this is/was a civil matter and needed to be taken up in court if some one was so moved. Glad i left Ny years ago, last one out, turn out the lights and lock the door and throw away the key

Didn’t NYC cops just get caught framing black people for crimes?? Shouldn’t black people be concerned with that police behavior instead of this?? I would think sending innocent people to prison would be far more offensive.

I agree with u. A scarecrow can be any color it is made to be without it becoming a symbol of someone’s fantasy of racist speech. My goodness, when are we going to get past all these imaginary offenses? When are people going to grow up?

On another note, when is Charles Barron going to use correct English? Isn’t it high time he stopped saying ‘ain’t’? He is not representing all the people of New York when he uses language like that. In fact, he is doing the children a disservice.

that is exactly right! if it was on HIS property and there are no local laws against hanging decorations, they better put it back up, or file theft charges against the cop..
If it was on city property, he has no case.

Well the way I see it I am so sick and tired of Blacks calling the shots and the white authority trying to kiss their black A..es all the time. As Cane said he is not an African American he is a Black American. As Oprah said once “what are we calling oursleves these days”. I am offended by the amount of blacks that break the laws compared to whites, I am offended by the amount of black women have children out of wedlock and the daddy be gone and I support the fat a…es. So I say this to the so called African American’s I did not bring your black butt here and if you find this country so vile I suggest you book yourself on a trip to your native land. Good bye

No one believes this display is a scarecrow and anyone who says he does is lying. The black man hanging from the tree could not possibly be anything BUT a black man hanging from a tree. It is a repulsive display. The mind who conceived it is twisted and belongs to a coward who is hiding his racist hate behind the cover of Halloween just as the Klansmen hid their faces behind white sheets.

If the “police” removed the scarecrow, then they should be sued for theft(You’d never get a theft charge even filed!). They could ask the owner to remove it, but they cannot remove it without a court order. It is private property.

It’s his private property… he can decorate however he pleases… If this Councilman is offended and demands that it be taken down, then he should be prepared to take down his Christmas decorations when an athiests complains, or his picture of Martin Luther King on MLK Day when there are complaints about that…. it’s a slippery slope and this man should not step onto it…

I completely agree. Where is it written that a person of a certain color can only display scarecrows or effigies of his own color. He’s doing a public service because there’s obviously too much THIN SKIN going around.

He has a constitutional right to freedom of expression. However, it is in bad taste.
It would be just as offensive if he displayed swastikas or clan figures. Tthe police have no right to remove it but it could provoke a violent response from his neighbors.

There are few items that are important to note and need clarification: The so called “scare crow” was hanging from a tree in the middle of the sidewalk. It was NOT on private property. It was also hanging about 100 feet from PS130 The Parkside School and about 50 ft from the Windsor Terrace “Public” library. I dropped my child off at PS130 and saw a bloody, man with a noose around his neck hang from a “city” tree. It frightened and offended me! You can only imagine the children walking to school. When I saw this I did not look long enough to notice what color the so called “scare crow” was. The people in this area are big on Halloween and the decorations are usually great. This one again since it was NOT on private property it did bring the Billy Holiday song “Strange Fruit” to mind.